Pack of rigid type for tobacco products

ABSTRACT

A rigid pack ( 1 ) of essentially parallelepiped appearance, designed to contain cigarettes, is composed of an inner packet ( 5 ) with a hinged lid ( 8 ), and an open-fronted box or case ( 6 ) affording a recess ( 20 ) in which the packet ( 5 ) is nested with the back ( 11 ), top ( 14 ), bottom ( 13 ) and flanks ( 12 ) offered in contact respectively to the back ( 17 ), transverse walls ( 19 ) and longitudinal walls ( 18 ) of the case ( 6 ), and with the inner packet ( 5 ) anchored along the front corner edge between the front wall ( 10 ) and the bottom ( 13 ), to the free edge presented by a corresponding transverse wall ( 19 ) of the outer case ( 6 ); the inner packet ( 5 ) is able to pivot on this corner edge, which functions as a hinge ( 21 ), between the nested position and a position partially extracted from the case ( 6 ). Also forming part of the pack is a linkage element ( 26 ) operating between the case ( 6 ) and the packet ( 5 ) in such a way as will cause the lid ( 8 ) to flip open automatically when the pack is opened.

This application is the National Phase of International ApplicationPCT/IB2008/001834 filed Jul. 15, 2008 which designated the U.S. and thatInternational Application was published under PCT Article 21(2) inEnglish.

This application claims priority to Italian Patent Application No.BO2007A000481 filed Jul. 17, 2007, and PCT Application No.PCT/IB2008/001834 filed Jul. 15, 2008, which applications areincorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a pack of rigid type for tobaccoproducts.

In particular, reference is made in the following specification totobacco products consisting in a group of cigarettes enveloped by aninner wrapper, typically of metal foil paper.

BACKGROUND ART

Packs of the type in question are fashioned from precreased flat diecutblanks and comprise a container with a hinged lid, attached to a rearedge of the container and serving to close an open top end of theselfsame container, also a stiffening frame located internally of thecontainer in part, and projecting in such a manner as to provide anelement by which the lid is retained stably in its closed position.

Once these hinge-lid type packs have been opened, and for as long asthere are cigarettes to be consumed, there is a certain difficultyexperienced in keeping the lid properly and securely closed, even thoughthe stiffening frame will generally present retaining elements along thecorner edges.

Consequently, the group of cigarettes cannot be adequately protected,given also that a part of the inner wrapper is removed initially, andthe resulting loss of aroma and moisture content will cause the productto degrade.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a pack for tobaccoproducts in which the drawback described above can be overcome,combining the strength of the hinge-lid type packet with an optimumlevel of protection afforded to the product during the period ofconsumption.

The stated object is realized according to the invention in a pack ofrigid type for tobacco products, as recited and characterized in theappended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, withthe aid of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a first embodiment of the pack according to theinvention, viewed in perspective from the front and from the rear,respectively;

FIGS. 3 and 4 show the pack of FIG. 1, viewed in perspective andillustrated in two different open positions;

FIG. 5 is a detail of FIG. 4, illustrated schematically from one side;

FIG. 6 shows the pack of FIG. 1, exploded and viewed in perspective;

FIG. 7 illustrates a further embodiment of the pack according to thepresent invention, viewed schematically in perspective and in an openconfiguration;

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate two diecut blanks, viewed in plan, from whichto fashion the pack of FIGS. 1 and 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

In FIGS. 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings, numeral 1 denotes a firstembodiment of a pack, in its entirety, designed to contain tobaccoproducts consisting in a group 2 of cigarettes 3 (see FIGS. 3 and 4)enveloped by an inner wrapper 4 of metal foil paper.

The pack 1, which is of substantially parallelepiped appearance with alongitudinal axis A extending parallel to the axes of the cigarettes 3,comprises an inner box element, or packet 5, and an outer box element,or case 6.

The inner box element 5 consists essentially of a hinge-lid packet,comprising a container 7, and a lid 8 connected to the container 7 alonga first hinge line 9 extending transversely to the axis A.

The container 7 presents four longitudinal side walls arranged in twoparallel pairs, establishing a front wall 10 and a rear wall, or back 11(FIG. 6), interconnected by two flank walls 12; the space encompassed bythe four walls is enclosed at one end by a bottom wall 13.

The opposite end of the container 7 is enclosed by the lid 8, whichpresents a top end wall 14 parallel to the bottom end wall 13, a rearwall 15 occupying the same plane as the back 11 of the container, towhich it is connected along the first hinge line 9, and two side walls16 of triangular outline each occupying the same plane as a respectiveflank 12 of the container 7.

The lid 8 is rotatable about the hinge 9 and occupies a closed position,illustrated in FIG. 1, in which the free edges presented by theaforementioned side walls 16 and top wall 14 of the lid 8 are disposedin contact with corresponding free edges presented respectively by theflanks 12 and by the front wall 10 of the container 7.

The outer box element or case 6 presents a main rectangular or back wall17 (FIG. 6), also two longitudinal walls 18, and two walls 19 disposedtransversely to the longitudinal axis A, rigidly associated with theperiphery of the back wall 17 on its four sides.

The outer box element 6 creates a recess 20 (FIG. 6) in which to housethe packet 5, which is positioned with its rear wall or back 11 breastedin contact with the back wall 17 of the outer element, its bottom endwall 13 in contact with one transverse wall 19, its top end wall 14 incontact with the remaining transverse wall 19, and its flanks 12 incontact with the longitudinal walls 18 of the outer element.

The depth of the outer box element or case 6 is substantially equal tothat of the packet 5, as measured transversely across the flanks 12.

The packet 5 is hinged, along the corner edge joining the front wall 10and the bottom end wall 13, to the free edge offered by thecorresponding transverse wall 19 of the outer box element 6, whichaffords a second hinge line denoted 21, and pivotable thus about thesesame edges between a fully nested first position illustrated in FIG. 1,and a second position in which the packet is drawn clear of the recessin part, and the pack 1 fully open, as illustrated in FIG. 4.

Located between the longitudinal walls 18 of the outer box element 6 andthe flanks 12 of the packet 5 are linkage and travel limiting means 22by which the packet 5 is allowed to pivot on the second hinge line 21through a predetermined angle of rotation. Such linkage and travellimiting means 22 comprise a pair of tabs 23 created by a cut 24 in eachflank 12, of which the free ends project toward the front wall 10 of thepacket. Each tab 23 is designed to engage the appropriately contourededge of a folded stop 25 presented by the inside face of thecorresponding longitudinal wall 18, thereby allowing a limited degree ofangular movement to the pack 5 when rotated about the second hinge line21, as illustrated in FIG. 4.

Located between the top wall 14 of the lid 8 and the correspondingtransverse wall 19 of the case 6 are second linkage means 26 such aswill cause the lid 8 to flip open automatically when the packet 5 isrotated away from the recess of the case 6. The second linkage means 26comprise a single tab 27, created by a cut 28, projecting from the freeedge of the transverse wall 19 toward the back wall 17 of the case 6,and two slots 29 and 30 located respectively in the top wall 14 and inthe rear wall 15 of the lid 8.

The slots 29 and 30 serve to create a web 31 coinciding with the corneredge along which the two walls 14 and 15 of the lid are joined.

As discernible in FIG. 5, when the packet 5 is pivoted away from theouter box element 6, the tab 27 locates in and slides through the slots29 and 30, and in so doing engages the web 31, causing the lid 8 torotate about the relative hinge line 9 in an anticlockwise direction, asviewed in FIG. 5.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 6, the main back wall 17 of the case 6presents a circular opening 32 through which the back 11 of the packet 5is accessible, in such a way that the user can ease the packet 5 out ofthe case 6 and thus cause the lid 8 to open automatically.

The pack illustrated in FIG. 7 differs from that illustrated in FIG. 1in that the packet 5 has no hinged lid 8; instead, the functionsperformed by the lid of FIG. 1 are performed by the top transverse wall19 and by a portion of the back wall 17 of the outer box element 6.

In the example of FIG. 7, the packet 5 is drawn from the recess 20 bypulling on a tab 33 attached to the front wall 10, rather than bypushing on the back 11 of the packet through an opening 32 ; applyingthis solution to the packet of FIGS. 1 to 6, the hinged lid 8 would openautomatically in the same manner.

In a further embodiment of the pack (not illustrated), the hinged lid 8might also be of conventional design presenting a front wall, occupyingthe same plane as the front wall 10 of the packet. In this instance thetwo side walls 16 would present a trapezoidal rather than a triangularoutline.

With reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, numerals 5′ and 6′ denote two flatblanks of wrapping material from which the inner box element, or packet5, and the outer box element, or case 6, are fashioned by executing asuccession of bending and folding operations.

The component parts of the blanks 5′ e 6′ will be denoted hereinafter,at least in part, utilizing the same reference numerals, primed, as areused to denote the corresponding parts of the two box elements 5 and 6.

The blank 5′ of FIG. 8 presents a substantially rectangular outline andis divided by mutually parallel crease lines, extending transversely toa longitudinal axis denoted A′, into a plurality of panels.

Aligned on the longitudinal axis A′ are two panels 10′ and 11′coinciding respectively with the front wall 10 and with the back 11 ofthe packet, and a panel 13′ between these two that coincides with thebottom end wall 13.

The panel denoted 10′ is joined along a crease line, remote from theintermediate panel 13′, to a flap 10″ that will be folded double andflattened ultimately against this same panel 10′.

The same panel 10′ is joined longitudinally on either side, alongrelative crease lines, to two lateral panels 12′.

Similarly, the panel denoted 11′ is joined longitudinally on eitherside, along relative crease lines, to two lateral panels 12″.

The panels 12′ and 12″ in question will be overlapped in pairs andsecured to form the aforementioned flanks 12 of the inner box element 5.

The panel denoted 11′ is divided by a crease line 9′, coinciding withthe hinge line 9 of the lid, from a further panel denoted 15′, which inturn is divided by a relative crease line from an end panel 14′.

The two panels 15′ and 14′ in question coincide respectively with therear wall 15 and the top wall 14 of the lid 8.

Associated with the opposite ends of the panel denoted 15′, divided fromthis same panel by respective crease lines and aligned on an axistransverse to the longitudinal axis A′, are two triangular flaps 16′detached from the respective lateral panels 12″ by oblique cuts. Thetriangular flaps 16′ coincide with the side walls 16 of the lid 8.

Associated by way of respective crease lines with the two ends of thelateral panels 12″ remote from the triangular flaps 16′, are two flaps34 of which the function is to connect the flanks 12 and the bottom endwall 13 of the inner box element 5 one to another.

Similarly, associated by way of respective crease lines with the twotriangular flaps 16′ are two flaps 35 of which the function is toconnect the top wall 14 and the rear wall 15 of the lid 8 one toanother.

The lateral panels denoted 12″ present cuts 24′ serving to create tabs23′ that will form part of the aforementioned linkage and travellimiting means 22.

Finally, the panels denoted 15′ and 14′ present respective slots 29′ and30′ forming part of the linkage means 26 illustrated in FIG. 6.

The blank 6′ of FIG. 9 is divided by mutually parallel crease lines,extending transversely to a longitudinal axis denoted A″, into aplurality of panels.

A central rectangular panel 17′, affording a circular opening or hole30′, is joined by way of longitudinal crease lines coinciding with itslongitudinal sides to two lateral panels 18′, and by way of transversecrease lines coinciding with its transverse sides to two further panels19′.

The central panel 17′ coincides with the back wall 17 of the outer boxelement 6, whilst the adjoining panels 18′ and 19′ coincide with thelongitudinal walls 18 and the transverse walls 19.

The lateral panels 18′ in their turn are joined along respectivelongitudinal crease lines to corresponding end panels 25′ that will befolded double ultimately and flattened against each panel 18′, so as tostiffen the longitudinal walls 18 and, through the agency of respectiveappropriately contoured longitudinal edges, establish the folded stops25 engaged by the tabs 23 of the linkage and travel limiting means 22.

A panel denoted 36, joined to the top transverse panel 19′ along arespective crease line, is designed to serve as a stiffening element forthe relative transverse wall 19; this same panel 36 also presents a cut28′ shaped to create a tab 27′ such as will interact with the web 31formed by the slots 29 and 30 in the lid 8, whenever the pack 1 isopened, and thus provide the aforementioned linkage means 26.

The blank 6′ also presents a flap 37 of substantially trapezoidaloutline joined to the transverse panel 19′ at the bottom of blank, asviewed in FIG. 9, along a crease line 21′ coinciding with the secondhinge line 21, which will be secured with adhesive to the bottom of thecontainer 7 and thus provide the element that connects the outer boxelement 6 and the inner box element 5 one to another.

Joined along respective crease lines to the ends of each longitudinalpanel 18′ are two flaps 38 by way of which the longitudinal walls 18 andthe transverse walls 19 of the outer box element 6 will be connected oneto another.

The main advantages afforded by the pack 1 described and illustratedderive from the creation of a perfectly airtight closure, maintainableas long as there are products to be consumed, given that when the packet5 is housed internally of the recess 20, the lid 8 remains correctly inthe closed position.

A further advantage derives from the way in which the hinged lid 8 opensautomatically when the packet 5 is extracted from the recess 20.

Lastly, it will be appreciated that packs 1 embodied in accordance withthe present invention can present the further advantage, in addition tothose already mentioned, of achieving economies in manufacture byincorporating at least one rounded or bevelled longitudinal corner edgeinto the packet 5 and the case 6.

In effect, whilst the foregoing description and the accompanyingdrawings relate to packs 1 comprising an outer box element or case 6 andan inner box element or packet 5 of cigarettes featuring a hinge-liddesign as illustrated in FIG. 1, or without a lid as illustrated in FIG.7, where both the case 6 and the packet 5 present sharp corner edges,the teaching of the present invention could be applied equally to anytype of inner or outer box element fashioned (in accordance withembodiments not illustrated in the drawings) with at least certain ofthe longitudinal and/or transverse corner edges rounded or bevelled. Forexample, the longitudinal corner edges might be rounded or bevelledrather than presenting a right angle profile, or similarly (adopting acigarette packet of the design disclosed in patent publication EP0764595), the longer transverse corner edges (those joining thetransverse wall 19 and the back wall 17 of the case 6, and joining thetop wall 14 and the back 11 of the packet 5) might be rounded orbevelled rather than presenting a right angle profile; alternatively,certain of the longitudinal corner edges and certain of the transversecorner edges might be rounded or bevelled rather than presenting a rightangle profile, in such way as to incorporate both longitudinal andtransverse corner edges presenting rounded or bevelled rather than sharpcorner edges.

Finally, adopting another type of embodiment not illustrated in thedrawings, both the outer case 6 and the packet 5 inside could presentthe shape of the cigarette packet disclosed in patent publication EP1066206; in this instance, the back 17 of the case 6 and the main faces10 and 11 of the packet 5 would be convexly profiled, each presenting aflat central portion, and two precreased curved lateral portions mergedon the one side with the flat central portion and joined on the other tothe flanks of the case and the packet along obtusely angled sharplongitudinal corner edges.

1. A rigid pack for tobacco products, substantially parallelepiped inappearance, characterized in that it comprises an inner box element orpacket (5) presenting four side walls extending parallel to alongitudinal axis (A), including a front wall (10), a rear wall or back(11), two flanks (12) and at least one end wall (13) disposedtransversely to the longitudinal axis (A), also an outer box element orcase (6) presenting a rectangular back wall (17) and, associated rigidlywith the selfsame along the four sides, two longitudinal walls (18) andtwo transverse walls (19), creating a parallelepiped recess (20) inwhich to house the inner box element (5) disposed with the back (11)breasted in contact with the rear wall (17), the end wall (13) incontact with a corresponding transverse wall (19) and the two flanks(12) in contact with the longitudinal walls (18); in that the inner boxelement (5) is hinged along one corner edge, coinciding with the joinbetween the front wall (10) and the end wall (13), to a correspondingtransverse wall (19) of the outer box element (6) and rotatable thus inrelation to the outer box element (6) about a corner edge that functionsas a hinge (21), between a nested first position and a partiallyextracted second position.
 2. A pack as in claim 1, wherein the innerbox element (5) consists in a packet with a hinged lid (8).
 3. A pack asin claim 2, wherein the inner box element (5) presents two end walls(13, 14) coinciding with the bottom wall (13) of the selfsame inner boxelement (5) and a top wall (14) of the lid (8), of which the top wall(14) is associated with linkage means (26) operating between theselfsame top wall (14) and the corresponding transverse wall (19) of theouter box element (6), such as will induce the opening movement of thelid (8) automatically when the inner box element (5) is extracted fromthe outer box element (6).
 4. A pack as in claim 3, wherein the lid (8)is provided by the top wall (14), a rear wall (15) coinciding with anend portion of the back (11), and two side walls (16) of triangularoutline coinciding respectively with an end portion of each flank (12).5. A pack as in claim 1, further comprising linkage and travel limitingmeans (22) operating between the flanks (12) of the inner box element(5) and the corresponding longitudinal walls (18) of the outer boxelement (6), such as will allow the inner box element (5) apredetermined degree of angular movement when rotated about the hinge(21).
 6. A pack as in claim 1, wherein the main or back wall (17) of theouter box element (6) presents an opening (30) through which the rearwall or back (11) of the inner box element (5) is accessible.
 7. A packas in claim 1, wherein the front wall (10) of the inner box element (5)comprises tab means (33) such as can be pulled to extract the selfsameinner box element (5) from the outer box element (6).
 8. A rigid packfor tobacco products as in claim 1, wherein the outer box element (6)and the inner box element (5) are fashioned respectively from a firstflat blank (6′) and from a second flat blank (5′), with at least one ofthe two blanks (6′, 5′) incorporating a flap (37) that serves to connectthe first and the second box elements (5, 6) one to another.
 9. A packas in claim 8, wherein the flap (37) constitutes an end flap of thefirst blank (6′) and is joined to the selfsame blank along a crease line(21′) serving to establish the hinge (21).
 10. A pack as in claim 9,wherein the first blank (6′) is of substantially rectangular outline,with the predominating dimension referable to a longitudinal axis (A″),and comprises: a plurality of longitudinal crease lines and transversecrease lines, delimiting a central panel (17′) that provides the back(17) of the outer box element, two longitudinal panels (18′) providingthe longitudinal walls (18), and two transverse panels (19′) providingthe transverse walls (19); two end panels (25′) joined one to each ofthe longitudinal panels (18′) and folded to create a stop (25) thatserves, in use, to limit the angle through which the inner box element(5) is allowed to rotate about the second hinge (21); flaps (38)associated with the ends of each longitudinal panel (18′), providing aconnection between the longitudinal walls (18) and the transverse walls(19).
 11. A pack as in claim 10, wherein the first blank (6′) furthercomprises a top end panel (36), attached to the transverse panel (19′)remote from the transverse panel attached to the end flap (37), andpresenting a cut (28′) designed to create a tab (27′) establishing thelinkage means (26).
 12. A pack as in claim 9, wherein the second blank(5′) is of substantially rectangular outline, with the predominatingdimension referable to a longitudinal axis (A′), and comprises: aplurality of longitudinal and transverse crease lines delimiting a panel(10′) coinciding with the front wall (10) of the inner box element, apanel (11′) coinciding with the back (11), and a panel (13′) interposedbetween the panels (10′, 11′) providing the front wall (10) and the back(11), coinciding with the end wall (13), longitudinal panels (12′, 12″),joined respectively to the panels (10′, 11′) coinciding respectivelywith the front wall (10) and with the back (11), overlappable in such away as to provide the flanks (12) of the inner box element (5), tabs(23′) created by cuts (24′) made in the longitudinal panels (12″)associated with one panel (11′) of the blank, constituting the linkageand travel limiting means (22), a flap (10″) attached to the free end ofthe panel (10′) coinciding with the front wall (10), such as can befolded double and flattened against the selfsame panel (10′).
 13. A packas in claim 11, wherein the panel (11′) providing the back (11) of theinner box element is divided by a crease line (9′), functioning as thehinge line (9) of the lid (8), from a panel (15′) divided in its turn bya crease line from an end panel (14′), and the opposite ends of theselfsame panel (11′) present two triangular flaps (16′), arranged insuch a manner that the panels (15′, 14′) and the flaps (16′) combine toestablish the rear wall (15), the end wall (14) and the side walls (16)of the lid (8); the two panels (15′, 14′) also presenting respectiveslots (29′, 30′) that combine with the tab (27) to establish the linkagemeans (26), and the triangular flaps (16′) presenting respective flaps(35) designed to function as connection elements between the end wall(14) and the rear wall (15) of the lid (8).